Poker News

Live WCOOP Radio Shows + $50,000 in prizes from PokerStars

The Countdown is over, no more waiting, the World Championship of Online Poker, WCOOP 2011 is here, the action has started! The satellites are still running, it’s not too late to qualify for as little as $1 or 100 FPPs. To mark this huge series that has over 62 events, with $30,000,000 in combined prize pools, PokerStars have launched a daily live WCOOP radio shows, online, presented by Joe ‘Stapes’ Stapleton – the popular host of numerous top poker tv shows and Nick Wealthall – top poker writer, top player and host of UKIPT. Not only do you get to hear all the news, gossip, special guests interviews and a chance to delve into the shows archive, but you’ll get to play in exclusive online tournaments with daily prizes.

This radio show will be broadcast in English, Spanish, Russian and German only and we have got the schedule so you don’t have to miss one exciting broadcast, a must for all online poker players:

The Poker Stars Radio WCOOP is tops, with a chance to interact with other players and pros, but these top broadcasts are not the end of the story! You can get to win a share of $50,000+ in prizes!

Daily Tourney

The daily episodes of the WCOOP Radio Show are accompanied by a super fast hyper turbo $1 online tournament. The lucky winner will be called by phone, live on the show, and asked a question, if they answer with ‘a phrase that pays’ they win a $215 WCOOP tournament ticket. Cool!

Call in Spot Prizes

Simplicity itself! Whilst you’re listening to WCOOP Radio listen out for when the next prize is announced and call in. The cash prizes will be T$ (tournament buy in dollars) or tournament tickets.

Giveaway Freebuy

The password for entry into a freeroll, that starts at the end of the show, is given out during the episode. The top 3 finishers will win 1000 FPPs to spend in the VIP shop, plus, the winner will appear on the next show and get a chance for further winnings!

Weekly Depositor Freeroll

This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who does not have a PokerStars account, so spread the word!

Listen out for the latest bonus code to be announced during the WCOOP radio show and use that bonus code along with the PokerStars Marketing Code DIRPOKER when making your very 1st deposit. Not only will you be entitled to 100% up to $600 but you will be given a free ticket to an exclusive weekly depositor freeroll, where you could win:

• A seat in Event 22 – $530 No Limit Holdem Event
• A seat in Event 42 – $1050 No Limit Holdem Event
• A seat in Event 62 – $5200 No Limit Holdem Event

This is a chance not to be missed!

PokerStars is the largest online poker site on the planet with players at every level, terrific promotions and opportunities to play in live games. PokerStars is very well respected with an excellent reputation for fair play and integrity so you can play online poker with complete confidence knowing your precious bankroll is in safe hands.

September Fest Leaderboards exclusively from William Hill Poker

William Hill Poker are giving away $20,000 throughout September with their weekly leaderboards PLUS there’s 4 prize packages worth $10,000 (€1,800 per package) to the Irish Winter Festival to play for! This top exclusive promotion, with $30,000 in total value up for grabs, is for William Hill players only and is to run from September 4th to October 2nd 2011 – so get stuck in!

September Fest Cash Leaderboards

William Hill Poker invite their players to play on cash tables and in tournaments to generate lovely leaderboard points and help themselves to the September Fest prize pool. You will earn 10 September Fest points for every $1 in rake generated on cash tables and 10 September Fest points for every $1 paid in tournament fees.

There will be two leaderboards each week for the two different levels – based on money contributed either in rake or tournament fee as follows:

Please take note that players can take part in September Fest in £, € or $ but all points are calculated using dollar values.

The all important weekly prize structure is as follows:

The leaderboard position buttons are on the website and updated at 2pm UK each day so it’s easy to check exactly your position daily.

4 Irish Winter Festival Packages

The top 20 players who have earned the most points overall during the month in the High Stakes leaderboard, along with the top ten overall points earners from the Low Stakes leaderboard, will be given automatic entry into the September Fest Mega Satellite. At this tournament, held on 9th October at 8pm UK, there will be 4 x Irish Winter Festival packages worth €1,800 per package up for grabs and that guaranteed!

If you were pipped at the post and didn’t make it to qualify in the leaderboards for the chance to get to the Irish Winter Festival, William Hill are giving you a second chance! For the discounted price of €110 you can join in the satellite, and for every €1,800 generated there will be another Irish Winter Festival package added.

Briefly – the Irish Winter Festival is to be held October 29th to 31st in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, Ireland. Your prize package will include Main Event entry, hotel and expenses.

This is another top promotion, exclusive to William Hill Poker, where you participate in a lucrative promotion by doing what we all love to do best, play poker at William Hill!

William Hill is one of the most reputable names in the gaming industry with shops throught the UK. Floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2002 you can trust in William Hill for top promotions along with fair play and integrity. Don’t miss out on all the fun to be had at William Hill, sign up now using the William Hill Poker Bonus Code POKERMAX and help yourself to the top sign up bonus of 200% up to £1250 / €1400 / $2000!

Titan Poker’s 6th Year Anniversary – Opt In Now!

Celebrate 6 great years of Titan Poker this September when you take up their invite to opt into, not just one, but four top promotions! Titan Poker has gone from strength to strength over the past 6 years, with a glittering array of past promotions and events, but these new 6 year anniversary promos will prove popular with all their players, whatever their bankroll, there really is something for everyone, I can’t wait!

Heads Up Championship

Grab your share of $25,000 in total prize money with these 24 Hour Races and Heads Up Tournaments.

To qualify for the Heads Up Championship you must win one of the eight 24 hour races which will run this September, these races will run twice a week on Sundays and Tuesdays starting on Sunday September 4th. The players will be divided according to the VIP level they belong to at 1st September, players can only qualify once. So, that’s 8 x 24 hour races for the following VIP levels:

• VIP Iron – Bronze with $200 prize pools
• VIP Copper – Silver with $450 prize pools
• VIP Gold – Platinum with $750 prize pools
• VIP Titanium – Diamond with $1000 prize pools

Do the maths and you will see that we will now have 32 proud players willing and able to play on for the accolade Titan Poker’s Best Heads Up Player plus $3000 to boost their bankroll. The competition will be spread over a 5 day preriod as follows:

• 1st Round September 28th at 6.00pm UK (1pm New York time)
• 1/8 Finals September 28th at 8.00pm UK (3pm New York time)
• 1/4 Finals September 29th at 6.00pm UK (1pm New York time)
• 1/2 Finals September 29th at 8.00pm UK (3pm New York time)
• Final October 2nd at 8.00pm UK (3pm New York time)

The Titan Poker Heads Up Championship payout structure is easily found on the Titan Poker website.

Mystery Week

Throughout the month of September 2011, as part of their 6th Anniversary celebrations, Titan are giving away mysterious surprises, cool! A new mystery surprise is revealed each week and rumour has it that you can get the info one day earlier on Titan’s Facebook page, shh!

Sam and Marvin’s Playground

What a treat! Play poker with Team Titan’s Sam Trickett and Marvin Rettenmaier as part of the Titan Poker’s 6th Anniversary celebrations!

There are three levels of cash games to play in on the following dates:

• Sunday September 18th with Marvin Rettenmaier
• Sunday September 25 with Sam Trickett

Once the pros are seated they will write the password for entry in the table’s chat window, then it’s a case of first come, first served to sit down and play! If you do not get seated, you will be invited to watch and chip in with a comment or two on the poker action.

These cash tables are located under ‘special offers’ on the Titan Poker software.

As you may have noticed in the above schedule of Team Titan, both Marvin (xcrash154) and Sam (xxSamTrickettxx) will be seated for the Sunday $200k Guaranteed on their playground Sundays, keep your eyes peeled for those nickmanes, see them off and get youself a $200 bounty plus bragging rights, of course!

$6000 Anniversary Freeroll

Simplicity itself! Just generate 60 points during September and you will earn your token into the $6000 Anniverary Freeroll.

We all love a freeroll and this one has $6000 up for grabs so what’s not to like about this celebration, nothing!!

Make a note, the $6000 Anniversary Freeroll will take place on Thursday, October 6th at 8pm UK (that’s 3pm New York time), there will be 100 seats reserved for Titan Poker Facebook members.

That’s quite a dazzling array of celebratory promotions and make sure you don’t miss out by remembering to opt in to each and every one of these extra special promos – the opt in button are large and red with ‘OPT IN’ on them so NO excuses!!

We love Titan Poker and we know you will too. Use the Titan Poker Bonus Code VIPTITAN for a VIP 1st depositor package including the very generous 200% up to $2000 sign up bonus adn $25 free when you deposit at least $50.

So, Titan Poker has been thrilling their players with top promotions, events, live game satellites and sheer decent poker for six years, thank you Titan Poker and here’s to the next six, cheers!!

New William Hill Poker Bonus Code POKERMAX

We have a brand new, exclusive, William Hill Poker Bonus Code to use when you make your first deposit at William Hill Poker – POKERMAX! This bonus code is an official bonus code so is guaranteed to work. We are proud to be able to offer new players at William Hill the following very generous bonuses when they open their first ever account:

• 200% of your 1st deposit up to £1250
• 200% of your 1st deposit up to €1400
• 200% of your 1st deposit up to $2000

Your new player bonus will be waiting for you to redeem it and you’ll have a full 60 days to do so, you can’t say fairer than that. However, unlike some other sites, if you’re not a hardcore player you won’t missout as the bonus is released in chunks of $5 every time you earn 350 William Hill Points, it really couldn’t be simpler to make the most of this sign up bonus.

You’ll always know just where you stand with your bonus, all you have to do is click bonuses on the menu in the lobby for a full rundown on how many WH Points earned and time remaining to take full advantage of this free cash offer. When you go through the lobby to see the balance of points the bonuses are shown in $ but, don’t worry, your cash will be converted into £ or € (if that is your currency), current exchange rates employed.

The WH Points are earned as you play, in tournaments 30 points for every $1 in tournaments fees paid and in cash games a sliding scale is used, topped out with 32 points earned when the rake you’ve paid is $5. Basically, the more cash you put into a game the more points you will be awarded.

We know you’ll enjoy playing at William Hill as much as we do, the promotions are terrific and there’s always something occurring so you’ll never, ever get bored.

On a more serious note, your bankroll is safe at William Hill. Established in 1934 William Hill is a household name in the UK with a betting shop (Bookmaker) on most High Streets. William Hill is also listed on the London Stock Exchange so you can’t get a much better pedigree than these guys!

William Hill prides itself on it’s excellent customer service and fair play, add to this the iPoker Network and you can see why we highly recommend this site!

We have recently been over William Hill Poker with a fine tooth comb and the results can be found in our William Hill Review, combine this with our in depth William Hill Bonus Code page and you’ll all you need to know about William Hill Poker.

Enjoy!!

Exclusive Female Promotions at PokerStars

PokerStars Women is just for women poker players, exclusively. PokerStars have made it their mission to encourage their female players to excellence in poker play, and it’s working for sure. So, we’re calling all the girls who love their poker to take a look at what’s on offer especially for them.

For the month of August only, when you play in the Women’s Sunday you can win a free World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) $27 Step 2 ticket . There’s not just one ticket up for grabs either, each and every girl playing on the final table will receive a WCOOP Step ticket prize. Remember these tournies are exclusively for women and although last Sunday there were 3 Pokerstars Pros playing the field is usually pretty small so your odds of getting a WCOOP seat through this route are vastly improved.

As an added bonus, knock out a Team PokerStars pro and earn $50 cash for the privilege! You’ll know who the PokerStars Team Pros are by the red spade logo next to their names in the tournament lobby.

Just a quick word about WCOOP, the biggest and richest online tournament series. WCOOP spans 22 days (September 4th to 26th) and includes 62 events, $30,000,000 in guaranteed prize pools plus gold bracelets for every World Champion. PokerStars are celebrating women’s success in WCOOP by awarding the Women of the Series a 2012 PCA Women’s Package worth $3500 – never say no to a freebie.

The Pokerstars Woman’s Sunday is the richest weekly womens only tourney online on the planet, with a guaranteed prize pool of $7000. This guaranteed prize pool means that however few players register and play the prize pool is at least $7000. Running every Sunday at 7.30pm UK (that’s 2.30pm New York time) it has a buy in direct of $55, daily qualifiers running every day from $2.20 and you even get a chance to play for free by playing in the weekly freeroll qualifier which takes place on Saturdays at 6.00pm UK (1.00pm New York time). Satellites are listed here so print it out so you can keep a reminder to play.

The fun isn’t just confined to the Weekends at PokerStars, oh no, you and your girlfriends can compete against other females, from all around the globe, all week long in the Women’s Poker League. There are two league levels of buy in to play at, $0.10 or $1.10, and the tournaments run twice a day, every day plus a weekly freeroll and there are points awarded in each. To register go into the PokerStars lobby through Tourney and All.

• $0.10 buy in league play daily at 1.00am and 6.00pm UK, 1.00pm and 8.00pm New York time
• $1.10 buy in league play daily at 2.00am and 7.00pm UK , 2.00pm and 9.00pm New York Time
• Sunday Freeroll at 6.30pm UK, 1.30pm New York time – win 100 x $0.10 League tickets

These leagues are not just for the fun of it, there’s real money and seats to the PokerStars Women Live Event Packages to be won! This is how the cash is divvied out:

MONTHLY

YEARLY

Pokerstars EPT Ladies Tournament
Make this the year you spread your wings and play in a live event. Join PokerStars Women Live at EPT London this coming October for the London Poker Festival, the 1st top festival of poker of EPT 8! There’s prize packages worth €1,500 which take you to the Victoria Casino on October 2nd to join in the PokerStars Ladies Tournament.

Qualifiers are running now, daily from £1.10 or, why not join in the special daily freeroll qualifiers at 5.30pm UK (12.30pm New York time). The finals of the EPT London PS Women Live, where the packages are awarded are held on Sundays at 7.35pm UK (2.35pm New York time) and the buy in direct is £108.50. It looks like the fields are quite small at the moment so this could be YOUR opportunity get in on the big bucks and live action in swinging London this Autumn!

When you’re looking to find a game, the PokerStars Womens specials are easily spotted in bright pink.

This article has really opened my eyes to what is available for female players at PokerStars. If you’ve not played at PokerStars before there’s never been a better time to join in the action. Just a reminder to all those men wishing to get involved in the action, if you win and Pokerstars discover you are not a woman you’ll lose your prize, no exceptions.

PokerStars is the largest online poker site on the Planet and when you use the PokerStars Marketing Code DIRPOKER and the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 you will be entitled to 100% up to $600 / €465 / £390 / CAD$625 plus a Home Games ticket. There’s no mad rush with PokerStars either, they give you three times to deposit in the first three months using both the aforementioned codes, then you have six months from each deposit to earn the points to release the bonus. This makes the PokerStars deposit bonus one of the easier ones to achieve. Just so as you know, when you’re playing at PokerStars your bankroll is in safe hands, for sure, reputable, established in 2000 and Licenced in the Isle of Man you’re in for a great time with no worries!

We have all you need to know about PokerStars plus current offers and promotion in our PokerStars Review.

Reload Bonus News July 2011

These bonuses are just for players who already have money on the sites, not to be confused with 1st deposit bonuses which are usually bigger with softer playthrough requirements, but even so you can pick up quite a bit of extra cash if you know where to reload this month. If you’re looking for 1st deposit bonuses then check out our best poker bonuses for all the latest deals on offer.

3 reload bonus offers we can’t miss this month…

Here’s a bit more detailed info on each one and what you need to do to make the most of your bonus.

$100 Reload Bonus from PokerStars

Boost your bankroll by up to $100 (or the equivalent in €, £ or C$) with this exclusive bonus when you deposit into your existing PokerStars account using the bonus code PS100 – you will then receive 20% of the value of your deposit in a pending bonus. This is a really generous offer from PokerStars and very welcome free cash for their loyal band of players – me included! Don’t hang around though, this promotion is only valid from now until 4.59am on 16th July 2011 UK (that’s 11.59pm 15th July 2011 New York time).

Once you have deposited you then have 20 days to earn as much of your pending bonus as you can – only one eligible reload bonus per Poker Stars player. All is not lost if you don’t manage to get the lot, your bonus will be released in 10 portions by earning VIP Player Points (VPPs). The following table shows the earning requirements:

To make the most of this very special offer you’ll need to deposit $500 then, during the next 20 days for every 200 VPPs you earn you will release $10 i.e. 10 x 10 = $100 which is 20% of $500.

PokerStars is the World’s largest and leading online poker room and we love it! Learn more about PokerStars by reading our PokerStars review. Also check out the latest Pokerstars Bonus codes for 100% up to $600 sign up bonus plus a free $5.50 Home Games ticket!

The Reloader from Titan Poker

The competition has never been greater to get players playing and the incentives for us players have never been sweeter! Now Titan have come with one hell of a reload bonus called The Reloader and you are being tempted by a massive 100% up to $5,000 to deposit.

There are only 14 days to deposit and take advantage of the Reloader which must end at 11.59pm on July 17th UK (6.59pm New York). You first deposit made during this time will be eligible for the reload bonus. Once you have deposited you have 60 days to release your bonus by earning points in real money games.

A lot of thought has gone into this reload promotion and the pokerheads at Titan have split this bonus into two stages as follows:-

Stage 1

After you have made your reloader deposit Titan will give you $5 for every 250 points you earn, Stage 1 is easy and rapid, but, once you have earned 25% of your reloader bonus Stage 2 begins and the big bucks are earned!

Stage 2

You now get to the big reload – $10 for every 600 points! Below is a table to show you, at a glance, just how the Reloader works!

Unfortunately, we won’t all be in the enviable position of having $5,000 to deposit and, therefore, take full advantage of the maximum Reloader bonus of 100% up to $5,000. Here’s a table for you which shows how the bonus works with lesser deposit amounts:

This is an excellent promotion, yet another from Titan, to be added to their top incredible new player bonus of 200% up to $2,000 when you use the Titan Poker Bonus Code VIPTITAN – good news if you are new to Titan Poker! Our Titan Poker review will give you all the facts and figures about playing on Titan Poker.

100% Reload from Party Poker

When you top up your Party Poker account using the bonus code 200JULY you will receive an excellent 100% extra up to $200! This offer has to end on 8th August at 4.59am UK (11.59pm on 7th August in New York).

Use the bonus code 200JULY when you deposit and, not only will you get this reload bonus but, you will also get an entry into the $100K Depositors Freeroll, this exclusive freeroll is to be held on 7th August at 4.00pm UK (11.00am New York), registration is open now and capped at 20,000 maximum players. Miss this and weep!

The largest poker site in Europe, Party Poker, has so much to offer their players with the above promotions being just an example! Take a look at our Party Poker Review for all the facts and keep an eye on this blog page as we update daily to keep you well informed about the upcoming, not to be missed, news and promotions.

If you are new to Party Poker you are in for a treat, for sure – use the Party Poker Bonus Code UPTO500 for a top 100% up to $500 1st depositors bonus.

Enjoy these mammoth reload bonuses whilst you can, they’re not around for a long time but they are around for a good time!

Rake Free Tournaments, freerolls and reloads at Party Poker

Party Poker is going from strength to strength and to add to this momentum thay have just announced more incredible promotions for July 2011 including a special reload bonus and freeroll worth $100k, but the biggest news by far is they have gone rake free! Loads to tell you but I think we’ll start with:-

Rake Free Tournaments! Party Poker claim to be the only place that you can play poker rake free, and I think they may well be right. This excellent move means that, with no fees across the entire MTT schedule, 100% of players’ money will go into the pot!

With zero rake you can save up to $50 in fees by playing your tourneys at Party Poker, there will be busier fields and bigger prize pools, what a great deal!

Now, I’ve just checked this too good to be true offer, and there is positively NO rake to pay on:-

• Multi table satellites
• Qualifiers
• Rebuys
• Freezeouts

Party Poker say this offer is for a limited time only so take advantage of this bold move and get playing, rake free! Let the good poker times roll with Party Poker, here comes yet another generous incentive:

Reload Bonus If you top up your account using the bonus code 200JULY you will receive a stonkin 100% extra up to $200! This offer is only up for grabs until 8th August at 4.59am UK (11.59pm on 7th August in New York) and, although this reload bonus is excellent, there’s more!

$100k Freeroll When you reload your Party Poker account using the bonus code 200JULY you will also receive an entry into the $100K Depositors Freeroll which is to be held on 7th August at 4.00pm UK (11.00am New York), registration is open now and capped at 20,000 maximum players. Don’t miss out on this one!

New Player Bonus If you are new to Party Poker you are in for a treat, for sure – use the Party Poker Bonus Code UPTO500 for a top 100% up to $500 1st depositors bonus. You can then use the reload bonus and claim your freeroll tickets plus another 100% as well. Sign up here.

Party Poker has been trusted by poker players since 2001 and promise safety, security and prompt payment guaranteed – a sound stable online poker site indeed, just where we need to be! The largest poker site in Europe has so much to offer their players with the above promotions being just an example! Take a look at our Party Poker Review for all the facts and keep an eye on this blog as we update daily to keep you well informed about the upcoming, not to be missed, news and promotions.

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Full Tilt Poker Shut Down – Your Questions Answered

For a 2nd evening Full Tilt is closed and rumours are rife as to what could be going on. The simple facts are that Full Tilt have lost their gambling licence with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) and were told to cease trading yesterday (June 29th). Players can’t connect to Full Tilt software and are faced with a simple ‘trying again’ message, when visiting the website it states “System Update. We apologise but the system is down. Please check back later.”

How much later? When will they be open again? How can they just be shut down like that? How can I get my bankroll back? Have Full Tilt released any info at all? Where else can I play Rush Poker? These are all questions we’ve been asked over the last 24hours and this blog will attempt to answer them for you.

When will Full Tilt be open again?
Quite frankly nobody knows, there have been rumours that Full Tilt are in talks with the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) and are hoping to open again very soon under their licence. Full Tilt used to be registered under Kahnawake so you would think the process to reinstate the licence would be pretty straight forward. Normally it takes at least 6 weeks to process a licence, but maybe they will be able to expedite this process.

Other rumours have been that they may just reopen as a rogue site and operate without a licence, I feel this is highly unlikely, for one payment processors would be reluctant to deal with an illegal casino, but more importantly this would damage Full Tilt’s public image so much that it would probably signal the end for them within weeks if not days anyway.

They may never open again under the same management, as more comes to light about the mismanagement of players funds and the financial problems Full Tilt are currently facing, it may just be better to close up shop, or sell on to a large company with the personnel and resources the manage the site correctly. Whoever does take this on though will have to have deep pockets as FTP owe US players alone approx $120million and those players can no longer play at Fulll Tilt.

How can they just be shut down just like that?
Full Tilt must have known this was coming. It is inconceivable that they weren’t in talks with the AGCC over their licence. This is what grates – players were mid game when they were cut off, players had only deposited 10 mins before, others were still working towards various promotions. Let’s hope it’s because FTP were fighting for their licence up to the last minute and thought they could rescue the situation, rather than they simply didn’t care. The ARGC released a statement :-

Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has today issued Hearing Notices under Regulation 46 of the Alderney eGambling Regulations, 2009 to the above named companies who collectively trade as FULL TILT POKER.

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission will hear the matters contained in the Hearing Notices at a Regulatory Hearing which will commence at 10.00am on Tuesday 26th July, 2011 at the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, 239 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EQ. In the event that there is a change to these details this notice will be amended. In the interim period, AGCC can be contacted by using the following email address: info@agcc.gg

How can I get my bankroll back?
At the moment we just don’t know. Of course if they open up again we can all make requests as normal, but what if they don’t. The only advice we can give at the moment is to contact the AGCC and ask when and how you can withdraw your funds. As soon as we hear anything about our missing bankrolls, we will let you know.

Have Full Tilt released any info at all?
No. Some responses from Full Tilt customer support have been reported on poker forums, but they can’t be verified. We ourselves have tried to contact them repeatedly and have heard nothing.

What should I do when / if FTP do open?
Hmm, here’s the tough one, I’ve played at Full Tilt for years and wasn’t really ready to never play there again, but with all their financial problems I’d be really cautious with leaving any significant amount of money on there. If you really must play at Full Tilt again then make sure your bankroll doesn’t mount up, cash out regularly and if payments are late play somewhere else until you have your cash in your hand. Simply put, until we know they are on a stable footing again don’t have any more on Full Tilt than you can afford to lose.

Where else can I play Rush Poker?
The thing that made Full Tilt really special (you can find high stakes games, poker pros and high traffic at Pokerstars) is Rush Poker. Unfortunately for us Rush Poker is trademarked so we won’t be seeing any other site offering it any time soon under the same format. If FTP don’t re-open hopefully they will sell the concept.

So there we go, I’m sure there will be plenty more to say on the subject over the coming weeks, but for now this is all we know. Hopefully Full Tilt will release a statement telling us what is going on soon.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a safe room to play at, check out our Top 10 Poker Sites, sure to be something there to please you

European Poker Tour (EPT) Satellites at PokerStars

The European Poker Tour (EPT) is the richest poker tour in the World and is now back for an eighth show stopping season. This Tour takes in the most incredible venues in fantastic locations – you’ll be dazzled, for sure.

You’ll be in good company too because as well the hundreds of PokerStars online qualifiers (you & me among them hopefully), the EPT attracts all the top professional poker players stepping out to play! The first stop is the EPT Tallinn, Estonia at the Swissotel venue this coming August 2nd to 7th.

Stars have generous all inclusive prize packages to be won for just a few euros by playing in the online qualifier tournaments which are running now. So, grab yourself a prize package which will include:-

• Main Event buy in (€4,250)
• Hotel accommodation
• Cash for Expenses

The qualifying tournaments can be easily found through the PokerStars lobby, select Events then EPT. The truely amazing thing about EPT is that you could win a life changing amount of cash from entering an EPT Qualifier which start at only €5.45 or 100FPPs!

Here’s where EPT will go after EPT Tallinn

This just could be the year that you take your poker skills and show them off at a top tournament wearing the PokerStars.com logo!

If you are new to Poker Stars, the largest online poker site in the World, then sign up NOW because there is an extra special promotion running but, be quick, the promo has to finish on July 3rd. Use the Pokerstars Marketing Code DIRPOKER along with the Pokerstars Bonus Code 100K in the cashier when you deposit for 5 x daily first depositor freerolls per day!

Pokerstars Players Funds are Safe

We heard today Full Tilt Poker have closed down due to losing their licence with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). The shudder is still thundering throughout the poker world with players angry and confused, demanding to know how they can withdraw their funds from a site that simply doesn’t exist anymore.

Many have been concerned that Pokerstars would soon follow in Full Tilt’s footsteps and close it’s doors. Nothing could be further from the truth. True, both sites have been closed to US players since April 15th but the response of the rooms has been very different.

Full Tilt have been delaying payments to both US and European players (in fact most US players have simply given up trying), whereas Pokerstars have kept up with payments, inspiring confidence by making quick payments to US players as soon as they are requested. As for the rest of the world, you would never know ‘Black Friday’ had happened at Pokerstars, they didn’t miss a stride and although they must be making huge payments to ex players from the US, they have held their integrity and haven’t failed in any way to meet their commitments.

As further reassurance we have just received an email from Pokerstars confirming that their gambling licence is valid and we would like to share this with you. We know many players are concerned that their bankrolls are safe and feel that reporting this email in full is the only sensible thing to do when so many are worried.

From Pokerstars 29th June 2011:-

“PokerStars Official Statement, June 29 2011

Best Regards,
The PokerStarsPartners Team”

This is why Pokerstars is still our number one recommended site.

If you haven’t checked out Pokerstars before, check out our Pokerstars Review and of course don’t forget to claim your 100% up to $600 bonus by using the Pokerstars Marketing Code DIRPOKER.

Full Tilt Poker Shut Down after losing Gambling Licence

Full Tilt Poker has been shut down by The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) as they have suspended their European Gambling Licence. This has all come about following the events of ‘Black Friday’, 15th April 2011, when the US Atorney General’s Office stopped play for US Full Tilt players following an investigation by the FBI.

The shock decision by the AGCC has come into immediate effect and players have found themselves cut off in mid play in running tournaments. It has been impossible to connect to the software and consequently there is no access to players accounts, the website carries a message ‘Scheduled Maintenance in Progress’.

The AGCC have determined that Full Tilt Poker may not:

• Register New Customers
• Accept Deposits from Existing Customers
• Allow existing customers to withdraw funds that are held in their accounts
• Permit customers to participate in any form of poker game play or gambling transaction

So, is that the end of the road for Full Tilt Poker? Well, it looks like it is, at least until the next step, a Regulatory Hearing on Tuesday the 26th July to be held in London.

This is another cruel blow for loyal Full Tilt Players, not only can they not access their funds, but, what about the guys (and Gals!) doing well and on a roll or maybe on the road to Las Vegas to play in WSOP, my heart weeps for them, how very disappointing!

Players with funds tied up in Full Tilt are advised to go to the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) and request information on when and how they are to receive their funds. As soon as we have any information ourselves we will let you know.

For those in need of an alternative place to play our favourite card game, take a look at two of our most popular pages, our:

• Top Ten Poker Sites
• US Poker Sites

The Directory of Online Poker has its finger on the pulse of online poker and will keep you informed with the information you need as soon as we hear it.

Party Poker satellites to the World Poker Tour (WPT)

Every poker player wants to compete in the World Poker Tour (WPT) and at Party Poker you will get the chance! Prove that you have got what it takes to hit the big time with an all inclusive WPT prize package from Party Poker, Europe’s biggest online poker site. This popular and infamous big money tour just keeps getting bigger and better and, at the moment, satellites are running for an excellent brand new venue – WPT Slovenia – plus the fabulous WPT Grand Prix de Paris.

Spoilt for choice, then why not compete for both events, here’s the lowdown:

WPT Slovenia – July 17th to 21st
Be part of poker history and play in the inaugural WPT Slovenia to be hosted at the Grand Casino, Portoroz this coming July 17th to 21st, Portoroz is the premier seaside resort in Slovenia! The packages are worth $7,200 and include:

• $4,700 buy in to Main Event WPT Slovenia
• $1,300 expenses
• Hotel accommodation
• Party Poker hospitality – top notch!

The satellites are running NOW until July 3rd so get a move on! There are daily freerolls plus qualifiers from just $1 climaxing in the Sunday WPT Slovenia Satellites held at 8.30pm UK (3.30pm New York) where the packages are awarded – splash out and buy in direct for $390.

WPT Grand Prix de Paris – September 5th to 10th
France’s capital city awaits lucky Party Poker players who win one of the WPT Grand Priz de Paris top prize packages worth $15,000. The poker will be played in front of the WPT TV cameras at the Aviation Club de France in Paris. The packages include:

• $10,800 Main Event buy in
• $2,200 Paris hotel accommodation
• $2,000 expenses
• Party Poker hospitality

You have from now until 21st August to play in qualifiers and grab your prize package. The satellites are running 24/7 and include daily freerolls and qualifiers from just $3, so take your pick! The WPT Grand Prix de Paris Satellites, where you can grab a prize package, are held on Sundays at 6.45pm UK, that’s 1.45pm New York, buy in direct $800.

Learn more about what a fantastic online poker site Party Poker is by reading our unbiased Party Poker Review, and don’t forget to check out our Party Poker Bonus Code page – you’ll love it!

First Depositor Freerolls worth $100,000 at PokerStars

Don’t hold back, make your first deposit at PokerStars anytime from NOW until July 3rd using the PokerStars Bonus Code 100K along with the PokerStars Marketing Code DIRPOKER to be entitled to play in, as many as you like, $100,000 First Depositor Freerolls! Remember this – the sooner you deposit the more freerolls you will be able to take part in and the top 20% of players end up in the money! Excellent, win cash for free! These $100k First Depositor Freerolls run five times a day with $1,000 in prize money in each, they are held at the following times:

• 3.00am UK – 10.00pm New York
• 11.00am UK – 6.00am New York
• 3.00pm UK – 10.00am New York
• 7.00pm UK – 2.00pm New York
• 11.00pm UK – 6.00pm New York

This is a top incentive for real money players and proves there’s never been a better time to sign up with the largest online poker site on the Planet – PokerStars.com. Along with the $100,000 First Depositor Freerolls you will get a top sign up bonus of 100% up to $600 with a full 6 months to claim it in to boot!

Take a look at our unbiased, topical PokerStars Review for all you need to know about Poker Stars and our Pokerstars Marketing Code page will take you step by step through the bonus procedure.

Well done PokerStars!

GSOP Live in Manchester Satellites and Freerolls with Party Poker

Party Poker invite you to swap the Casino for Old Trafford, Manchester, UK, when you win a luxury package to play in the Grand Series of Poker (GSOP). The all action live Event is in, arguably, the finest football stadium in the World and home to the iconic Manchester United FC. You’ll overlook the pitch as you play in this big money, high profile event, an awesome, unforgettable experience for sure. Make sure you’re free to travel and be in Manchester 3rd to 6th August, there is no cash alternative!

The $3,600 prize packages will include:

• $1,650 GSOP Manchester Main Event buy in
• 5 nights in a top hotel
• $700 Spending money
• Tour of Old Trafford Football Stadium
• Welcome Party – Party Poker are renowned for their hospitality!

Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity, get playing to win now! There are daily GSOP freerolls and GSOP qualifiers from just $1 or why not splash the cash and buy into a GSOP Manchester Satellite, where the prize packages are awarded, for $260 – these are on Sundays at 7.20pm UK (2.20pm New York).

This promotion starts 5.00am UK on 6th June and will close at 4.59am UK on 17th July.

Party Poker is the biggest poker site in Europe and hosts brilliant promotions month by month! This site is secure and is registered on the London Stock Exchange. Find out all you need to know about this top site in our unbiased Party Poker Review and don’t forget to pick up a first deposit bonus – all explained on our Party Poker Bonus Code page.

Note: Say hi to Wayne Rooney and don’t forget to admire his new hair transplant!

The Main Event Passport from PokerStars

Win a Poker Stars Main Event Passport and you will be doing it your way with a choice of top prize packages to one of FIVE incredible live events Worldwide to choose from. These prize packages are worth at least USD$13,000 and can be won for just $2 or FPPs by satelliting in to the big time! The satellites are running now 24/7 and can easily be found by going through the PokerStars lobby, clicking ‘Events’ then ‘Passport’ but don’t hang around this promotion finishes on July 3rd.

Let’s have a look at what’s up for grabs at Pokerstars when you win a Main Event Passport, remember, you choose!

• WSOP Main Event – $13,000 is credited to your account and you are responsible for buying your seat, hotel and travel arrangements.
• EPT London Main Event – Worth $13,750 and includes Main Event Seat, hotel and travel expenses.
• 2012 PCA Main Event – Worth $14,500 and includes Main Event Seat, hotel and travel expenses.
• APPT Season 5 Main Event – You choose which APPT Event to play in, where the package is usually worth $8,000, and you get the remainder paid into your PokerStars account.
• LAPT Main Event – You choose which LAPT Event to play in, where the package is usually worth $5,000, and you get the remainder paid into your PokerStars account.

So, it just remains for you to get playing in the Main Event Passport Cash Satellites, Steps Satellites (Sit n Go’s) or FPP Satellites and then plan which glittering live event you will play in!

PokerStars is the World’s largest online poker site with the top promotions to match!

If you are new to PokerStars Poker then you are in for a real treat – take a look at our PokerStars Review for an unbiased look at mighty PokerStars where there is always a game going on to suit every style and bankroll!

Use the Poker Stars Marketing Code DIRPOKER along with the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 for 100% up to $600 sign up bonus PLUS a $5.50 Home Games Ticket.

Don’t forget, this top promotion must end on July 3rd 2011.

Sit and Go HEAT from Titan Poker

An excellent new promotion from Titan Poker invites Sit n Go fans to fire up their Summer with HEAT Leaderboards and share in $105,000 in prize money. There are five Leaderboards, for the four levels of stake plus a Heads Up Group, to choose from so there is something for everyone in this top promo! There will be two bi weekly races for all 5 categories where there will be $51,015 allocated to be divided proportionately between the groups - sounds good to me! (more…)

New Euro Friendly Major Tournament Times at Pokerstars

This is excellent news for all PokerStars loyal European players, the rumour’s true, the Majors are Moving!

From Sunday June 5th the Planet’s biggest online tournaments are starting two hours earlier and in addition for one week (Sunday June 5th) only there will be Tournament Guarantees Doubles (x 2) with $200,000+ in value added satellites. That means this weeks Sunday Million is now worth $2 million and it’s even easier to get there from a satellite. (more…)

The Super Sale from Titan Poker is Here!

Titan Poker invite you to take part in their huge Summer Super Sale with enormous discounts PLUS big money new guaranteed Tournaments!!

The Titan Poker Super Sale, with up to 80% off buy ins, will not be around for long so make sure you take part in this very generous promotion! The Super Sale tournaments start on May 28th and will run until June 12th so make a note so you don’t missout. (more…)

Summer Million Tournament with Party Poker

Here comes another dazzling promotion from Party Poker, get set to grab your share in the Guaranteed Summer Million Tournament this coming 7th August!.

This excellent $1,000,000 Guaranteed Tournament is set to take place on Sunday August 7th at 6.30pm UK (1.30pm New York) with a buy in direct of $640. (more…)

$500 Reward for every Friend you introduce to Titan Poker

This is a really one of a kind promotion from Titan Poker as a big thank you to their loyal players for recommending a friend. This is how it works:

Fill out the simple, instant invitation form to be found on the Titan Poker “>website and send to a friend - it will only be a matter of time now until you get a whopping $500 reward! (more…)

Spring Championship of Online Poker 2011 (SCOOP)

PokerStars may not be able to take accept players from the USA but they are still producing excellent promotions for the rest of the world! PokerStars.com is the largest online poker site on the planet, still, and it’s business as usual.

One of the biggest ever online poker series is back for 2011! The Poker Stars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) is back this coming May 8th to 22nd. There is a total guaranteed prize pool of $25,000,000 to look forward to over 38 events. (more…)

The Gladiator Freerolls from Party Poker

The popular Gladiator promotion has returned to Party Poker but, with lower minimum daily targets! This excellent promo will only run from May 1st to 31st, so step into the arena for some mega thrilling poker action!
Just hit the daily minimum target of 5 PartyPoints for only 5 days during the month, you don’t even have to earn your Party Points on consecutive days, and you get yourself a seat at a $2,500 freeroll. The more points you earn the more cash you win. How easy is that! (more…)

Poker Sites who Welcome Players from the USA

Since April 15th 2011 most of the big poker sites were forced to leave the US market, which left alot of american players looking for legitimate secure US Poker Sites. First off, here’s a table showing where players from the USA are still very welcome to sign up and play poker at established, respected, and financially secure online poker sites. These sites are offering seriously generous 1st depositors bonuses too! Although the traffic at these sites is not what most US players are used to, they are quickly growing as more US players join. (more…)

Party Poker present Spring Million Tournament

Get ready to win your share in the guaranteed Spring Million Tournament from Party Poker this May 1st.

This fantastic $1m Guaranteed Tournament is going to take place on Sunday May 1st at 6.30pm UK (1.30pm New York) and the buy in direct is $640. If $640 seems like big bucks at the moment then now is the time to start playing for your seat in the Spring Million by playing in qualifiers and secure your place for low or no outlay. (more…)

WSOP 2011 satellites with Titan Poker

Your poker playing dreams can come true this year when you play in Las Vegas in the WSOP 2011. Titan Poker have come up with top prize packages to tempt you to Las Vegas this Summer 2011, you lucky players!

Here are the WSOP 2011 satellites all available on Titan Poker right now to help you get to the greatest poker event of the year:- (more…)

No Pokerstars or Full Tilt Poker for US players

On Friday 15th April 2011, in a major crackdown on online gambling, the FBI and US Attorney’s Office have charged the founders of former US Poker Sites PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker with fraud, illegal gambling and laundering a great deal of dollars! It appears that there were 11 arrested, restraining orders put on 75 bank accounts in 14 countries. Five internet domain names were also confiscated - this is a major operation! (more…)

Game of Your Life from PokerStars - new bonus codes

PokerStars are offering their players, new and old, the opportunity to play in the Game of Your Life and win fantastic prizes all for free! Use the special bonus codes listed below and you’ll get extra chances for free too!

The winner of the Grand Final Freeroll will win the top prize of the $100,000 Game of Your Life outlined below. Just take a look at what you could win by playing the Game of Your Life:

A total prize package of $100,000 which will include: (more…)

The Black Card by Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker are offering their players the ultimate recognition for loyalty with the Black Card which brings with it a unique selection of rewards. As the owner of a prestigious Black Card you will be entitled to:

• Exclusive access to the Black Card Store where you can exchange your Full Tilt Points for limited edition branded merchandise or top cash bonuses.
• The elite Black Card holder will earn at least 2 x Full Tilt Points.
• Entry into exclusive online Black Card tournaments.
• Preferred treatment at Live Events in the company of Full Tilt Pros.

Are you ready to be a Black Card holder and embrace all the poker advantages and opportunities the Black Card brings?? (more…)

iPoker Network Offer 20x WSOP Experience Packages

iPoker Network are offering their players the opportunity to play in the greatest live poker tournament of the year, WSOP2011, which is taking place amongst much pomp and splendour in Las Vegas, USA this coming May 31st to July 19th. The iPoker Network hosts some of our favourite sites - Titan Poker - Mansion Poker - Winner Poker.

There are 20 WSOP 2011 prize packages up for grabs worth $5,000 each and they will include: (more…)

Titan Poker Go Live Freerolls!

Titan Poker are giving their players the opportunity to play on the live poker circuit and start making enourmous amounts of cash!

Qualify online with Titan Go Live and you will win a €4,600 prize package to the top European poker tournament, the one, the only 2011 Irish Open Main Event plus, when you knock out poker pro Sam Trickett, you’ll get the €200 bounty on his head. The Irish Open Main Event is to be held in legendary Dublin this coming April 22nd to 25th. (more…)